Mattabeseck Audubon Society: Bird Walk at Helen Carlson Sanctuary

Join Elena Coffey for a bird walk at Mattabeseck Audubon Society’s Helen Carlson Sanctuary.  This birding hotspot was donated to MAS in 1976 by local resident Helen Carlson to preserve it forever. Shortly thereafter, with a grant from the Rockfall Foundation in Middletown, MAS worked with students from Long Lane School to create a nature trail and boardwalk through the wetland and adjacent forest. In 1978, the trail was opened to the public, and the site was dedicated to Mrs. Carlson.  For about 20 years, MAS maintained the nature trail and boardwalk and followed a plan to nurture the cranberry plots in much the same way as was done during the days of commercial production. This included regular flooding and draining, mowing, and periodic sanding to rejuvenate plant production.  A family of beavers moved into the sanctuary about the year 2000, raising the water level and completely changing the ecosystem. The continuous high water caused by the many dams constructed by the new residents virtually wiped out the cranberries and other acid-loving plants that colonized the site. The boardwalk rotted and had to be discontinued, and other parts of the trail became impassable. The site is now an open water marsh with emergent water plants and home to many different species of birds and animals.

The address provided to locate the sanctuary IS NOT the sanctuary, but immediately next door to the property.  Parking available near the MAS sign in the open area under the evergreens.

Contact Elena Coffey at 860-305-1965 or elena_ibclc@yahoo.com